A Father's Worries

After Five-Hit Combo, the Blessing of Tirion Fordring effect was triggered. A Magic Blade appeared out of thin air and slashed a small opening in Tirion's gauntlet, but still couldn't hurt him. The Paladin's defense and damage reduction were simply too high. The only thing that could hurt Tirion now was Retribution's true damage. Just then, Tirion came to from his stun. Smiling, he raised his hand in surrender, then tossed aside his slashed shield!

Tirion Fordring said with satisfaction, "Son, you win this time! That last attack was incredible! But you still need to use it carefully. I imagine your hand is injured, right?"

Taelan Fordring put away his weapon and said, "Yes. Using it in a real fight is completely different from using it in training."

Tirion Fordring said, "That's because you're still young. Your body hasn't finished growing, and it isn't tough enough yet. Once you receive Baptism, your physical abilities will improve greatly. Then I believe you'll truly be able to master it. Those rapid, successive strikes, combined with a good sword, will become your signature move.

"By the way, what do you call it?"

"I call it Zeal."

"Five strikes in a single instant. The name certainly fits!"

Just then, Karandra and Solarian came over. Karandra said, "As expected of my son! You're much better than your father!"

Tirion Fordring: ...

Solarian was also astonished by Taelan's new ability. If she wasn't mistaken, it wasn't a Warrior's rage effect. It was an entirely new, unique skill. He had strengthened his body with Holy Light, allowing him to unleash those rapid successive strikes.

Soon, everyone sat down at the dining table. Tirion Fordring said, "I've already received Daelin's letter. He'll be coming to visit us in Hearthglen tomorrow with his wife and daughter. Then the day after, we'll go on vacation to Caer Darrow! I can't wait!"

Karandra said excitedly, "Is little Jaina coming too? I heard she's a good friend of Taelan's?"

Before Taelan could reply, Tirion said, "Yes. The girl likes Taelan so much, it's written all over her face."

"Father, don't make things up. We're so young. How can you say she likes me? She's just lonely."

"Is the girl very pretty?"

Solarian chimed in, "Yes, very pretty. She and Janice Barov are the two prettiest girls I've seen in Dalaran!"

"And I've heard Jaina is very talented. The Archmage Antonidas is evaluating her, and may well take her on as a student!"

Grand Astromancer! Are you really this much of a gossip? Think about it—have you been working hard all these years? Have you been practicing your magic diligently? Has your salary gone up?

Karandra looked very happy. Hearthglen was a rather remote place, and most of their visitors were fellow members of the Silver Hand.

Most of the people Karandra knew were the wives and children of officers. For example, Old Mograine and his sons, Renault and Dalian; Whitemane's daughter, Sally Whitemane; and General Abbendis's daughter, Bridget. When Tirion spent time with them, they drank and talked about war and the military. The young lords and ladies would gather together, and before long, the whole place would be in an uproar!

Especially when Sally Whitemane came to see Taelan. Taelan and Renault would soon end up fighting! Then Bridget and Sally would watch the two boys duel from the sidelines! As for Dalian, he always thought his older brother got angry for no reason. Whenever he fought with Taelan, who was three years younger, it was always his fault—and he always lost.

After Tirion Fordring returned home last time, he had told the story of his son and Jaina in vivid detail! It made Karandra very curious about the girl.

Jaina had been a little beauty even as a child. Well-educated, she was gentle and sweet. Because she had to learn Thalassian early, she'd read plenty of books and had a quiet, refined air about her. If her life's course hadn't changed, she might have lived out a perfect life like that.

But disaster changed everything. Though her parents doted on her, she had been lonely since childhood. As she grew up, she faced the betrayal of the man she loved, the brutal death of her mentor, life-and-death choices, her longing for peace, her father's death, and the betrayal of her allies. They left her utterly broken. When she watched her young apprentice, Kinndy Spark, turn into Arcane Dust and vanish before her eyes, and Archmage Rhonin chose to sacrifice himself and leave her with the chance to live, she finally changed completely and became a harbinger of war. As she watched Kinndy's father light Dalaran's lamps one by one, she was changed forever.

Taelan was lost when it came to her. He wanted to get close to her and change the tragedies in her life. But he also wanted to stay away, afraid that changing her fate might cost her the remarkable achievements she would otherwise have made!

No one could completely control their fate. All he could do was try his best and give her another choice when she needed help. In the end, it all came down to the fact that he still lacked strength.

At noon the next day, Grand Admiral Daelin arrived at Hearthglen with gifts. Karandra finally met little Jaina!

Today, she wore a blue dress and the wizard's hat with a bow on top. On her feet were a pair of little white shoes. A white belt encircled her slender waist, with a red Magic Pouch hanging from it.

She first greeted the Tirion Fordring couple politely, then eagerly turned her gaze to Taelan. Her eyes sparkled; she was clearly hoping Taelan would show her around Mardenholde Keep!

Tirion Fordring immediately agreed to little Jaina's request. Assuming the air of the head of the family, he said to Taelan, "Son, give your friend a proper tour of Mardenholde Keep. Introduce your friend to little Jaina!

"Bridget is also visiting Mardenholde Keep today. If she completes this trial, she can receive Baptism with you at New Year."

Taelan Fordring agreed. After greeting the Daelin couple, he led Jaina out of the house. Katherine Proudmoore seemed especially interested in Taelan Fordring. She had studied him intently for a while as soon as she entered. Then she made a point of thanking him.

With her mother's permission, Jaina happily took Taelan's hand, and the two of them walked out of the living room side by side.

Katherine Proudmoore watched the two children leave, then said to Karandra, "Lady Karandra, I'm envious of you! You have a wonderful son. I can sense the powerful Holy Light within him. He's like a little sun, drawing everyone around him closer."

Hearing Katherine's praise, Karandra hastily replied, "He's always dreamed of becoming a Paladin. But I would rather he grow up without a care in the world! Then he can get married and have children. I just hope he won't be like his father, always off fighting wars."

Tirion Fordring shrugged helplessly. Daelin, meanwhile, poured himself a glass of wine as if he were at home, then downed it in one gulp. In his booming voice, he said, "Your son is bound to be extraordinary! None of the next generation of our lot can match him. Not only does he wield incredibly powerful Holy Light, he also has a special quality about him. He has foresight and can consider things from different perspectives. He's a born leader!"

"You have to protect him carefully until that young eagle can spread its wings and soar!"

Tirion Fordring didn't respond to that. Instead, he said worriedly, "I fought him yesterday. In just these last two months, he has not only learned Thalassian, but also mastered Occultism. His unique Holy Spell, Holy Bolt, can now change direction.

"And he's also created an especially frightening Holy Light ability. He infuses Holy Light into both his body and his weapon, allowing him to strike five times in a single instant."

"I think you're bragging! It's making me very jealous, Tirion!"

"No, I'm serious! I think he's too obsessed with power! And his Holy Light belongs to him alone, so he doesn't have enough reverence for it!

"I'm truly worried that one day he'll become so obsessed with power that he can't pull himself away! That wouldn't be good!"

Hearing that, Daelin thought of his own son! Wasn't Derek the same? Even at a young age, he cared about his country and its people. He liked to stand on his own, and when danger was at its worst, he was the one who stepped forward. Then that Dragonbreath hit him!

"Then you'd better teach him more. Though I think he might already know more than you do!"

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